HINATA IS BROKEN

On the day of team assignments, Uzumaki Naruto took extra care in his appearance.

"Do you care about how you look now?" the voice of Nine Tails echoed in his mind, tinged with amusement.

Naruto replied casually, "Of course! Even if people exclude us, we should never underestimate ourselves."

Nine Tails twitched its large ears, mulling over Naruto's unusual phrasing. "Hmph! The ninja world doesn't care about appearances—it values strength."

"You're wrong, big fox," Naruto shot back with a smirk. "What if, in the future, a really powerful kunoichi falls for me because of my looks? Wouldn't I just win at life?"

The audience watching felt their smiles tug at the corners of their lips. Naruto's unique blend of ambition and humor always found a way to lighten the mood.

In truth, with Uzumaki Naruto's rapid progress, boundless energy, and hidden potential, it wasn't far-fetched to imagine him eventually surpassing most ninjas in the world. Yet, despite this, Naruto remained as down-to-earth—and as unpredictable—as ever.

---

Finally, becoming an official ninja felt like a weight off Naruto's shoulders. After years of struggle, he was ready to leave the stifling confines of Konoha and experience the world beyond. He entered the classroom that morning, buzzing with excitement.

"Naruto!"

A sweet fragrance wafted by as a girl with a single ponytail sat beside him.

"Oh, Ino," Naruto greeted, recognizing her immediately. Yamanaka Ino was the daughter of the Yamanaka clan head and a classmate with a reputation for her bold personality. Naruto remembered hearing that most of his classmates hailed from prominent Konoha clans.

She leaned in with a curious expression. "So, do you have any teammates in mind you'd like to be paired with?"

Naruto tilted his head, processing her question. Could they really choose their teams themselves? That sounded almost too good to be true.

Before he could respond, another voice interrupted lazily. "You might as well just ask him if there's a girl he likes."

Naruto glanced over to see Shikamaru slouching nearby. "The team assignments aren't up to us," Shikamaru continued. "It's based on how well we're suited to work together. Like me, you, and Chōji—we're definitely ending up in the same group."

Yamanaka Ino turned on him instantly, scowling. "Shikamaru, don't butt into my conversation! Go sit somewhere else."

"You're so troublesome," Shikamaru muttered, wandering off with a shrug.

Ino, meanwhile, flipped her hair back and added indignantly, "Honestly, it's so frustrating to think I'll be stuck on the same team as him and Chōji."

The conversation turned heads, sparking a buzz among the audience.

---

"Wait a minute," Shikamaru muttered. "Does Ino… like Naruto over there?"

Chōji looked equally baffled. "That's what it sounds like. I mean, Ino's not exactly the type to act friendly with just anyone."

Inuzuka Kiba crossed his arms, clearly annoyed. "What the heck? How does he keep getting all the attention? Even if it's Naruto from the other world, isn't he still… Naruto?"

Haruno Sakura, sitting nearby, appeared utterly flabbergasted. Her wide eyes darted between Ino on the screen and the real Ino beside her. The thought of her friend showing interest in Naruto—of all people—was almost too much to process.

"Ino," Sakura teased with a sly grin, "looks like you've got a soft spot for Naruto over there."

"Shut up, forehead!" Ino snapped, though the redness on her face betrayed her flustered state. "It's not like that! He's just... different, okay?"

Meanwhile, Naruto from the black-framed world rested his head on the desk, listening to the heated argument between Sakura and Ino. The two girls were bickering loudly, and his patience was running thin.

"Why are these two so noisy?" he muttered under his breath. "I really hope I don't end up on the same team as them."

---

Sakura gasped audibly at his dismissive comment. "What? He's annoyed at us?"

Ino wasn't any more composed. "Wait a second—he dislikes me too?"

Their combined shock quickly gave way to indignation.

Across the screen, Naruto from their world observed the scene with mild amusement. "Man, I'm really something over there, huh? Winning over Sakura and Ino at the same time? That's what I call charisma!"

Uchiha Sasuke scoffed, his fists clenching tightly. "Tch. It's just cheap tricks."

Still, a small pang of frustration gnawed at Sasuke. For all his disdain, the Naruto from that world had achieved something he couldn't ignore—unwavering confidence and recognition.

The tension continued to grow as the scene unfolded. Uzumaki Naruto of the black-framed world remained blissfully unaware of the ripple effects his charisma was causing, both within his own reality and beyond.

---

At the front of the classroom, Iruka finally entered, silencing the chatter with a firm voice.

"Attention, everyone. I'll now announce the team assignments."

The students straightened in their seats, the atmosphere thick with anticipation.

"Naruto Uzumaki," Iruka called out.

Naruto perked up instantly, his earlier annoyance forgotten.

"You'll be on Team 7, along with Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno. Your team leader will be Kakashi Hatake."

Naruto's jaw dropped. Of all the possible combinations, why did it have to be him and Sasuke?

He groaned audibly. "This is going to be a disaster."

But in his heart, Naruto felt a spark of excitement. After all, this was the beginning of his true journey as a ninja—a chance to prove himself, to grow stronger, and maybe, just maybe, to leave his mark on the world.

---

Back in the audience, Ino clicked her tongue in disappointment. "Figures. I was hoping to end up on the same team as Naruto."

Kiba let out a dry laugh. "Guess you'll have to settle for Shikamaru and Chōji."

Sakura, meanwhile, was fuming. "Why me? Why do I have to be on the same team as him?"

Naruto grinned cheekily at her reaction. "Don't act like you're not secretly thrilled, Sakura."

"Thrilled? In your dreams!" she shot back, crossing her arms.

As the scene on the black-framed screen continued, the audience couldn't help but feel a mix of amusement and curiosity. This was only the beginning of Naruto's journey, but it was already clear that his path would be anything but ordinary.

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